The northern crusaders. Russia in the struggle for spheres of influence in the Eastern Baltic states of the XII-XIII centuries

The noble crusader and the Svyatrussian hero are the first images that arise when it comes to wars in the East Baltic states in the XIII century. The expressions "lost opportunities" and "realized advantages", "onslaught", "mission", "baptism", "struggle" are most often found when the researcher turns to the history of the conquest of these lands. Here, the legendary foundations of cultural postulates of nations such as Russians, Germans, Latvians, Estonians, and Finns are especially remarkable here. Here they first join the confrontation and first know the strength of the opponent.
For the Germans, the development of Livonia is the heroic page of his history. His ancestors fearlessly carried the Word of God as kind, but not enlightened northern pagans. The strong -willed burghers left their cities in a cozy medium Germany and, having sewed the cross on rough clothes, went to distant swamp lands, where both the struggle and in word and deed. This region played no less importance in Russian history. The holy warrior - the defender of the earth and faith - Alexander Nevsky arose during the fighting in the Baltic states, was formed here as a person and politician. Even more than for Russians and Germans, the events of the XIII century. They are important for the Baltic peoples, who then entered into the circle of large continental policy and involuntarily caused an acute civilizational conflict, which issued Europe for the eastern and western - confessional, political and cultural decline.
3rd edition, corrected